Wilson (calf) was listed as a limited participant at Wednesday's practice, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.
Wilson's limitations were expected, given that head coach Mike Tomlin previously indicated that the quarterback wouldn't be a full participant to begin Week 3 prep as he continues to work his way back from a calf injury. Tomlin suggested Tuesday that the Steelers are preparing for Justin Fields to make a third consecutive start Sunday against the Chargers, though the coach said that a decision on a permanent starter won't be made until Wilson is 100 percent healthy. Wilson has been inactive as the emergency No. 3 quarterback for the Steelers' first two games, and he could be in line for a similar fate Sunday if he doesn't upgrade to full participation in practice Thursday or Friday.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Not in line to start Week 3
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Head coach Mike Tomlin said that Wilson (calf) is not scheduled to be a full participant in Wednesday's practice, and the Steelers are preparing for Justin Fields to make another start Sunday against the Chargers, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
Despite being named the team's starting quarterback coming out of the preseason, Wilson has yet to make his Steelers debut and has been a limited participant in practice since informing the coaching staff Sept. 5 that he was dealing with calf tightness. According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Tomlin suggested that the same plan from last week is in place for Wilson this week, which means he'll likely remain a limited or a non-participant in practices Wednesday through Friday before being inactive as the emergency No. 3 quarterback Sunday. Pryor notes that Tomlin said he was unwilling to commit to a permanent starting quarterback until Wilson is fully healthy, but so long as Fields keeps guiding the 2-0 Steelers to wins, he'll most likely rank as the preferred option. Fields has been an effective game manager through the first two weeks, presiding over a run-heavy offense while having yet to commit a turnover.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Emergency third QB Sunday
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Wilson (calf) is inactive as the Steelers' emergency No. 3 quarterback Sunday against the Broncos.
Wilson was limited in practice this past week, before being officially listed as questionable for Week 2 action. However, as Wilson continues to deal with a calf injury, Justin Fields -- who helmed the Steelers 18-10 win over the Falcons in Week 1 -- is slated to make his second straight start for the team, with fellow QB Kyle Allen also on hand. Wilson's next chance to log a full practice listing for the first time during the regular season will occur Wednesday, when Pittsburgh begins to prepare for a Week 3 matchup versus the Chargers.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: To be listed as questionable
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Coach Mike Tomlin noted Friday that Wilson (calf) will be listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Broncos, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.
While the Steelers plan to list Wilson as questionable, the chances of him starting Week 2 don't appear especially strong, with Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com relaying that Tomlin noted Friday with regard to the signal-caller's status, "Obviously, if his availability is questionable, then starting is less so." In any case, look for added context regarding the team's QB situation to surface ahead of Sunday's 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff. If Wilson is deemed not ready to play, Justin Fields would draw the starting assignment versus the Broncos.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Limited, but seems to be improving
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Wilson (calf) was a limited practice participant Thursday, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.
Though Wilson's limited participation represents no change from his level of activity in the Steelers' three practices since he first informed the coaching and training staff exactly one week ago that he aggravated a calf injury that first cropped up in training camp, the quarterback suggested after Thursday's session that he's noticing improvement in his condition. Per Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com, Wilson said that he's "getting closer and closer" to playing again. Though Justin Fields still appears to be trending toward a second straight start this Sunday in Denver, the Steelers aren't yet ruling Wilson out from being available for the matchup with one of his former teams. At this stage, however, Wilson appears likely to reprise the role he filled in the Week 1 win over the Falcons, when he was inactive as the Steelers' emergency third quarterback behind Fields and backup Kyle Allen.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Limited in practice Wednesday
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Wilson (calf) was a limited participant in practice Wednesday, Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site reports.
The Steelers are preparing as though Justin Fields will make a second consecutive start Sunday in Denver after Fields led Pittsburgh to an 18-10 win over the Falcons in Week 1, but it's encouraging that Wilson will be taking the practice field in some capacity. If Wilson continues to increase the intensity of practice work throughout the week, the door isn't necessarily closed on him reclaiming the starting role from Fields this Sunday. Wilson previously beat out Fields in a preseason quarterback competition, so the former will presumably start once the Steelers are fully confident in his health.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Not trending toward start
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Wilson (calf) remains questionable for Sunday's game against the Falcons and is set to undergo further examination in the morning, but Justin Fields appears likelier than Wilson to start at quarterback for the Steelers as the 1 p.m. ET kickoff approaches, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Head coach Mike Tomlin had named Wilson the team's Week 1 starter following the preseason, only for the veteran signal-caller to experience calf tightness in Thursday's practice before getting in a limited session Friday. While Adam Schefter of ESPN reported late Saturday that Wilson had informed the Steelers' brass that he thinks he can play in the season opener, the team may be more inclined to take a cautious approach with him if he's operating at well below 100 percent health. In any case, official word on Wilson's status should arrive when the Steelers release their inactive list 90 minutes prior to kickoff. The Steelers have a third quarterback on hand in Kyle Allen and would be able to use him as the backup to Fields if Wilson can't go.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Status for Sunday still uncertain
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Wilson (calf), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Falcons, has told the Steelers that he can play, but team doctors are being cautious, and the quarterback's status won't be determined until early Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
A report earlier Saturday deemed Wilson's chances of playing Sunday to be "very slim," and Schefter's update neither confirms nor contradicts that perspective. Pittsburgh's decision-makers could feel more comfortable taking a prudent approach and holding the veteran quarterback out due to the presence of Justin Fields, who has ample starting experience in the NFL of his own and had some impressive moments during training camp and the exhibition slate. Per Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com, Wilson intends to test his calf during pregame warmups Sunday and is intent on doing everything he can to be able to suit up for the Week 1 contest. Official word on the Steelers' plans at quarterback might not become clear until the team releases its inactive list 90 minutes before the 1 p.m. ET kickoff.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Week 1 status TBD
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Wilson (calf) hopes to play Sunday against the Falcons, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
Wilson, who aggravated a previous calf injury Thursday, says that he's taking it day-by-day ahead of the contest. When asked if he expected to start Sunday, Wilson told Pryor, "I'm trying to get my body ready to go and rock and roll. Just doing everything we can." If the QB -- who the Steelers figure to list as questionable -- is unavailable this weekend, Justin Fields would be in line to start in his place versus Atlanta.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: At practice Friday
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Wilson (calf) is present at practice Friday, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reports.
Wilson's practice participation level will be clarified later Friday, along with a possible injury designation ahead of Sunday's game against the Falcons, but it's a good sign that he's taking the practice field Friday after being limited by calf tightness Thursday. Barring a setback, Wilson's poised to make his Steelers debut Sunday, relegating Justin Fields to a backup role.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Looks to be starter for Week 1
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Wilson completed both of his passes for 26 yards in Saturday's 24-17 preseason loss to the Lions.
Wilson started for the second consecutive game but played only one drive that ended in a rushing touchdown. Both of his passes went to George Pickens, the latter being an explosive 32-yard gain. Per Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com, coach Mike Tomlin declined to name his starting quarterback for Week 1 against Atlanta, but it's expected that Wilson will get the nod. Even if that's the case, Wilson will likely need to play well to maintain the role over Justin Fields in the long term.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Crushed by pass rush
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Wilson completed eight of 10 passes for 47 yards in Saturday's 9-3 preseason loss to the Bills.
Wilson's stat line was underwhelming, but it overstates how well Pittsburgh's first-team offense was able to move the ball. That wasn't necessarily on Wilson, as he was under constant pressure and sacked three times. He narrowly missed out on connecting with George Pickens near Buffalo's goal line on his final drive of the game, though the duo's rapport may be lacking after Wilson missed a significant amount of training camp with a calf injury. The Steelers have consistently stated that Wilson is the starting quarterback heading into the season, though this performance didn't do him any favors in his competition with Justin Fields.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Won't play Friday, leader in QB battle
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Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that Wilson won't play in Friday's preseason game against the Texans, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
According to Pryor, Tomlin insinuated that Wilson is the current leader in the battle for the starting quarterback job with Justin Fields, as the coach noted that the depth chart he released Tuesday is "real." The depth chart has Wilson listed as the starter and Fields as the backup, even though the latter has taken far more first-team reps this summer while the former has been limited by a calf injury. Wilson was a full practice participant Tuesday and still has plenty of time to build chemistry with the starters, but the preseason opener will give Fields another chance to impress.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Resumes practicing in full
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Wilson (calf) returned to practice as a full participant Tuesday, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
Wilson had been managing a minor calf strain for nearly the last two weeks, which gave Justin Fields a chance to command Pittsburgh's first-team offense at training camp alone, but the former is now back in the mix at practice. Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Wilson and Fields are alternating reps to begin Tuesday's session, which can be considered confirmation of Adam Schefter of ESPN's recent report that the two remain in a competition for the Week 1 starting gig. Friday's preseason game against the Texans could serve as an opportunity for Wilson or Fields to pull ahead, if they do suit up for a series or two.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Making progress
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Wilson (calf) participated in practice Tuesday, Nick Shook of NFL.com reports.
Wilson, who is bouncing back from a calf issue that has curbed his training camp participation, will be brought along slowly, per coach Mike Tomlin. "(Wilson) played some 7-on-7," Tomlin noted with regard to the QB's activity during Tuesday's session. "He got a little 11-on-11 work, not a lot. We'll keep progressing with that throughout the week and moving forward, obviously with the mindset of no steps backward as we do so." With Wilson having been limited at practice, Justin Fields has logged extra reps with the first-team offense.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Limited work in individual drills
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Wilson (calf) was sidelined during team sesssions for the fourth straight practice but was a limited participant during individual drills Sunday, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
Wilson did not participate during the Steelers' walkthrough Sunday morning and was expected to be a non-participant once again. However, he was active during some agility and throwing sessions later on in practice, which was more work than he's done during previous training camp practices. The 35-year-old still wasn't fully suited up, as he wore a ball cap rather than a helmet, and he did not appear to be going full speed, per Pryor. Wilson is the presumed starter over Justin Fields at this point, but the latter will likely need some live reps this training camp in order to separate himself in this competition ahead of the first preseason game Friday, Aug. 9. The Steelers are scheduled to have a day off before returning for the team's first padded practice Tuesday, according to Pryor. While the coaching staff will likely be overly cautious with him, Wilson's activity level Tuesday will be a good indicator of where he's at.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Held back by minor calf injury
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Wilson missed Thursday's practice due to calf tightness and is considered day-to-day, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com reports.
Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports that Wilson wanted to practice but was held back by the coaching staff, which gave fellow offseason addition Justin Fields an opportunity to dominate first-team reps. The expectation remains that Wilson will be under center come Week 1, leading a remade offense with a new coordinator (Arthur Smith), two early draft picks on the O-line (OT Troy Fautanu, C Zach Frazier) and open competition for WR spots behind top option George Pickens.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Remains in lead for starter gig
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Wilson remains the clear favorite to start Week 1 under center for Pittsburgh and has made a good impression on his new coaching staff throughout OTAs and June minicamp, Chris Ward of SteelersNow.com reports.
Wilson has impressed with arm talent and leadership throughout spring activities, per Mark Kaboldy of The Athletic, and he's reportedly dominated first-team reps to this point. Justin Fields could push for more opportunities during training camp, but for the time being, there's been nothing to suggest any shift from coach Mike Tomlin's remark early in the offseason that Wilson is in the "pole position" to start Week 1 under center. Experience and consistency alone could make enough difference for Wilson, a 35-year-old veteran, to win the starting gig over Fields, but he'll face pressure to keep Pittsburgh in the playoff race, given that he's playing on only a one-year contract.
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Broncos' Russell Wilson: Going to Pittsburgh after Giants visit
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Wilson is traveling to Pittsburgh on Friday to meet with the Steelers' front office and head coach Mike Tomlin, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.
Wilson has permission to meet with other teams but can't technically sign a contract until the Broncos release him at the start of the league year (Wednesday). Multiple Pittsburgh beat writers have suggested the Steelers want to give 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett another shot as the starting quarterback, but most of what we've seen from Pickett suggests that even this post-prime version of Wilson would give the team a better chance to win in 2024. An offset in Wilson's Denver contract means he has no incentive to maximize his 2024 pay from a new team, so he'll likely choose his next destination based on some combination of likelihood to start, chances of making a playoff run and post-2024 compensation. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Wilson already had an "exploratory meeting" with the Giants earlier this week.
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Broncos' Russell Wilson: Expected to meet with Steelers
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The Steelers are "tentatively planning" to meet with Wilson before the start of free agency, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
The Broncos have given Wilson permission to talk with other teams even though he won't be released until March 13, the start of the 2024 league year. While previous reports out of Pittsburgh suggested the Steelers were ready to move forward with Kenny Pickett and maybe Mason Rudolph as their quarterbacks, the upcoming meeting with Wilson suggests there's at least some level of interest in bringing in a new starter. The decision may end up coming down to financials more so than confidence (or lack thereof) in Pickett. If nothing gets done in Pittsburgh, other potential suitors for Wilson could include the Raiders and Falcons.
